Indian Hotels Company Ltd. (IHCL), India’s largest hospitality chain, has partnered with the Uttarakhand government, SETU Aayog, Tata STRIVE, Kumaun University and the state’s higher education department to establish a hospitality skill training centre in Nainital, officials said Wednesday.
Under the centre’s framework, Tata STRIVE will manage training programmes at the venue hosted by Kumaun University. Government departments will provide operational funding, and SETU Aayog will guide academic and industry alignment, according to an IHCL release .
Gaurav Pokhariyal, executive vice president for human resources at IHCL, said the centre reflects the company’s ESG-focused Paathya framework. “It will empower the region’s youth with industry-relevant training, encouraging inclusive growth while contributing to India’s travel and tourism economy,” he said.
The centre aims to train more than 500 young people over three years in areas including front office management, food and beverage service, and kitchen operations. Hostel accommodation and internships are part of the programme. Ameya Vanjari, COO of Tata STRIVE, said the programme will offer “meaningful career pathways for the youth of the hills,” and generate local development impact .
Raj Shekhar Joshi, vice chairman of SETU Aayog, described the centre as a model for industry–academia collaboration to promote employment and regional economic growth .
The Nainital centre is IHCL’s latest in its Paathya initiative, which has already established 32 skill centres across 15 states and 25 cities. These centres have trained over 10,000 youth to date. Under Paathya, IHCL intends to add more skill centres — up to 50 by 2025 — and train a total of 100,000 youth by 2030, with at least 25 percent being women.
The company said its Paathya centres combine classroom instruction, on-the-job training, faculty development, joint certification and industry networking. Rural areas and underprivileged communities are focal points for these efforts.
IHCL officials noted that approximately 75 percent of trainees across its centres have been placed, with about 20 percent joining IHCL .
Industry experts said the Nainital centre will help bridge the gap between education and employment in hospitality, enhance youth employability, and support the state’s tourism infrastructure .
IHCL’s hospitality brands include Taj, SeleQtions, Vivanta and Ginger. The training centre adds to its growing portfolio of social impact initiatives under Paathya, which also include environmental targets such as waste reduction, green energy and sustainable operations.
